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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23588698">No Encore for Laymen</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/pyromantic/pseuds/pyromantic'>pyromantic</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Kingdom Hearts</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Axel isn't even showing up until chapter 3, Band Fic, F/F, F/M, Gen, LIKE SO SLOW BURN, M/M, Multi, Other, Punk Rock, Slow Burn, Tags Will Be Updated Frequently, nana au, no beta we die like men</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 23:13:42</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,376</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23588698</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/pyromantic/pseuds/pyromantic</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Roxas is a small town guy who goes to Traverse Town to follow his boyfriend and college friends, with the hope of having his dream life. Axel was in a popular punk rock band in his hometown. He goes to Traverse Town with the goal of making it big as a singer. The two men meet on the train ride to the city.</p>
<p>Slow burn. Nana AU.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Axel/Roxas (Kingdom Hearts), Hayner/Roxas (Kingdom Hearts), Olette/Pence (Kingdom Hearts)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>No Encore for Laymen</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Thanks to everyone who cheered this one on!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Roxas’ hometown was entirely uneventful. The population was average, there were a normal amount of schools, not many homeless people or crimes. All in all, Roxas really didn’t have much to complain about growing up. His family itself wasn’t worth the time explaining; three brothers which he was the middle of, a father who worked and a stay at home mom. They even had a golden retriever named Buddy.</p><p><br/>
It was a few years ago, Roxas was freshly eighteen sitting in his first boyfriend’s car. He was a businessman who made no point of hiding the wedding ring on his finger whenever they were together.</p><p><br/>
“Traverse Town? For how long?”</p><p><br/>
“It’s a transfer.” The man said before taking a drag from his foreign cigarettes. “It wasn’t my choice.”</p><p>Roxas could feel his stomach dropping. It was all going too well, he couldn’t let it end now! “Should I come with you?”</p><p><br/>
“Roxas,” The man sighed, creasing wrinkles into his forehead that didn’t completely disappear, “Listen, this has been fun for what it was but you need to stay here. Your whole family is here, your friends are here, your life is here. And besides, you’re..” A high schooler was left unsaid, but they both felt it weighing heavy in the air.</p><p><br/>
“Yeah.” Roxas hung his head.</p><p><br/>
“Hey, don’t worry about it. You’re so close to university, by the second week you won’t even remember what my name is.”</p><p><br/>
“I could never forget you,-” Looking back he really couldn’t remember his name, but then it felt like honey on his tongue. Roxas was always the type to fall fast and fall hard. In such a small town it was hard finding someone who was into guys, let alone into him.</p><p><br/>
“Listen Roxas, you’ll be fine.” The man leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to Roxas’ lips. “Let me get you home.”</p><p><br/>
Roxas could feel the tears welling up in his eyes. “I.. I can just walk home.”</p><p><br/>
“Roxas it’s freezing outside, don’t be stupid.”</p><p><br/>
“I’ll be fine.” He undid his seat belt, opened the door and walked into the blizzard to never see the man again.</p><p><br/>
He wouldn’t cry over him ever again, he promised himself.</p><p><br/>
. . .</p><p><br/>
“Roxas come on, stop crying-” Pence leaned against the door of the bathroom stall as Roxas sat on the toilet, tiers pouring from his eyes onto Pence’s now terribly damp blazer. “It’s your fault for messing with a married man.”</p><p><br/>
Pence had always been Roxas’ best friend, the type to tell it to him straight, even when it wasn’t something he wanted to hear. “I thought it was real though!” He groaned, wanting to pull every hair out of his head until he was plucked clean.</p><p><br/>
“He is right though, you know. There’s so many guys out there, especially in Traverse Town. I put in a few applications to some schools there.”</p><p><br/>
Roxas stood up, wiping a tear from his eye as if he hadn’t just been hysterically crying. “Then we’ll go to school there! It’s been decided.”</p><p><br/>
“Roxas, you can’t draw-”</p><p><br/>
“Whatever man, I have a few months to learn. I picked up skateboarding after three minutes!” Roxas opened the stall, over the man already. He splashed some water on his face as Pence followed behind him, eyes rolling.</p><p><br/>
“Yes, three minutes. After a year and a half of me trying to teach you and you throwing a fit or recreating that Vine.” He’d broken eight skateboards that way. “You can’t just get frustrated with a painting, snap the brush in half and yell ‘so no head?’. You really gotta grow a pair and come up with your own life, man.”</p><p><br/>
“I do have my own life! I’m just choosing to spend it with you in the most ‘I’m gay but not for you’ way.” Roxas pouted at him through the reflection of the mirror.<br/>
Pence had been with Roxas through everything. Each guy Roxas had fawned over (and there were a lot of them) Pence was there to give him advice and support through it, while never showing interest in anyone himself. He wondered if Pence was possibly asexual - or maybe even in love with Roxas himself. But he had brushed that thought away after having to borrow Pence’s laptop for a research assignment while his was in the shop.</p><p><br/>
“You realize you’re gonna have to put the work in right?” Pence was deadpan, catching the other man’s eye in the mirror.</p><p><br/>
“I’ll do it. When have I ever given up once I had my mind set on something?”</p><p><br/>
Pence groaned as he went to the bathroom door, unlocking it and stepping into the hall. As the door closed, he could hear the hall monitor screaming at Pence, asking him why he had locked the entire bathroom not just his own stall. “If I had to shit I had to shit, I like my privacy.” He could hear through the cheap wood.</p><p><br/>
. . .</p><p><br/>
“Checkered wristbands, really?” Pence scoffed at Roxas over their summer break. They had both decided to go to summer art camps together to help Pence get ready for the dream university he’d been accepted to… and for Roxas to practice enough to apply next spring without his portfolio getting laughed straight into the garbage.</p><p><br/>
“I think they give off the sporty look. I’m done with being a twink. Besides, art kids wear whatever they want.”</p><p><br/>
“You look like a character in Pro Skater…” Pence groaned, shaking his head. “Don’t embarrass me.”</p><p><br/>
“You’re the one wearing a turtleneck in fucking June dude.”</p><p><br/>
“I think it makes me look classy.” He puffed, “Now don’t go falling for the first guy you see once we walk in.” The two entered the classroom, Roxas’ eyes immediately went to sandy blonde hair and warm brown eyes. “Are you even listening to me?” He wasn’t. He was staring at the man sitting with a brunette, chatting happily. The man turned to look away from the girl he was sitting with, only to stare in their direction, slack jawed. The man all but scrambled up from his seat with the girl and made a B-line to the two of them. Roxas opened his mouth to speak-</p><p><br/>
“Pence?! Pence is that you?” The man beamed ear to ear, pulling Pence into a hug.</p><p><br/>
“Hayner! What the hell are you doing here?” Still, Pence returned the embrace warmly. “I haven’t seen you in years.”</p><p><br/>
“I got into TU, I’m cramming for September.” Hayner beamed ear to ear as they pulled apart, looking to Roxas. “Hey, Hayner, nice to meetcha.” He extended his hand to shake.</p><p><br/>
“Nice to meet you Hayner, I’m Roxas.” They clasped hands to shake, but all Roxas felt was electricity.</p><p><br/>
“Roxas and I went to the same highschool.” Pence piped up, suddenly feeling like a third wheel in an extrovert’s conversation.</p><p><br/>
“Oh! That reminds me, Olette, c’mere!” Hayner waved over to the brunette he was sitting with, the girl turning to look at them before jumping off the table she was sitting on. Girlfriend, probably. The girl was the epitome of girl next door charm. Roxas was disappointed.</p><p><br/>
The girl introduced herself to Roxas and Pence, if Roxas had been paying better attention he would have noticed the way Pence and Olette’s hands lingered just a moment too long in their shake. He was too enraptured in Hayner’s smile.</p><p><br/>
. . .</p><p><br/>
“Don’t date Hayner.” Pence grumbled over a bowl of ramen.</p><p><br/>
“What- that’s - that’s out of nowhere, I can’t believe the gall of you, Pence!” Roxas feigned offence before groaning, “It’s obvious, eh?”</p><p><br/>
“Like a road sign.”</p><p>“Fine, I’m gonna prove you wrong! We’re just gonna be friends, I won’t date him.”</p><p>Pence shot him a look as he took out his phone as it began to ring, “Oh, hey Hayner.” Roxas shot up from where he was seated on Pence’s couch, Pence poking him in the forehead to get him away, “Yeah feel free to come over. Roxas is here too. Bring beer.” Hanging up, Pence shot his best friend a look. “No humping his leg like the horny little pomski you are.” Pence ruffled Roxas’ hair before he went to freshen up.</p><p>. . .</p><p>“So then the next guy I fell in love with was-” Roxas was drunk, he’d stripped off his jacket and was feeling amazing. Regaling Hayner and Olette with the many times he’d loved and lost had become a top priority in his inebriated mind, and he would tell it to his best possible ability.</p><p>Hayner had joined him on the floor, Olette and Pence taking the couch - and holding their alcohol better than the two blondes. “Who’s the next one?” Hayner laughed, taking a swig of his beer.</p><p>“The next was a pizza guy, I kept ordering pizza after pizza so I could talk to him-”</p><p>Hayner spit his beer out with a booming laugh, “Why didn’t you just get his number after the first two or three times?”</p><p>“I didn’t think that far in advance. I put on like twenty pounds.” The two of them giggled a bit together, as Pence and Olette watched on.</p><p>“Okay who’s next?”</p><p>The next one was the most recent one. All hushed rondez vous, quickies and secrets. All the light left Roxas’ eyes as he lowered his head. It was all still too fresh. Roxas felt empty, like a failure, like everything he was doing wasn’t worth the time he was spending on it.</p><p>“Hey I was thinking we should order a pizza after that last story!” Olette piped up with a small smile, taking the attention away from Roxas, to which he was grateful. “Chicken wings too.”</p><p>The rest of the evening was uneventful, Roxas getting slightly too drunk and going to bed early. Poking his head in, Pence checked on his best friend, a soft and concerned smile tugging at his lips.</p><p>“Uh, Pence-” Hayner called behind him, careful not to wake his new friend up, “The busses are about to stop running, I’m gonna head out. Olette’s asleep on the couch, can she crash here?” The food and time had significantly sobered Hayner up.</p><p>“Yeah don’t worry about it, I’ll make sure she gets home safe tomorrow.” Pence’s place was always the spot where people crashed, he was used to taking the floor in his own home.</p><p>“Thanks man. You’re a real one.” Hayner lightly punched Pence in the arm.</p><p>“Are you into guys, Hayner?”</p><p>Said blonde stepped back, before laughing, “I never knew I was your type, thought you liked girls. You should have propositioned me earlier.”</p><p>“Har har. You and Roxas seemed to be flirting a lot tonight s’all.” Pence moved to the kitchen to clean up the dishes, “You interested?”</p><p>“I..” Hayner groaned, “Yeah but he seems to hate me.”</p><p>“Nah, Rox just gets really spaghetti when it comes to guys he’s into.”</p><p>Hayner all but pulls Pence from the sink, a stupid grin on his face, “What? No way!”</p><p>“Dude shut up you’re gonna wake Olette up!”</p><p>“Fuck, sorry Olette-” Hayner looked over his shoulder to the still sleeping girl, he lowered his voice to a stage whisper, “There’s no way he’s into me.”</p><p>“All I’m saying is good luck. Now hurry up, you’re gonna miss your bus.”</p><p>“Shit! True! See ya Pence.” Hayner quickly slipped on his shoes before exiting the apartment.</p><p>Once Hayner left, Pence finished up the dishes before making his way into the living room, taking a blanket from his chair and draping it over Olette. She was really pretty, he thought. The added warmth made her smile in her sleep, and that was all Pence needed. He left her a glass of water and some painkillers before heading to his bedroom to sleep on the floor near Roxas.</p><p>. . .</p><p>The next morning, Roxas sat up with a start, unsure of where he was. His head was pounding and he desperately needed a bathroom. Getting out of the bed, he waddled his way out of the room, “Pence, do you need the bathroom I gotta shi-”</p><p>Pence and Olette turned from where they were sitting on the couch, Olette on Pence’s lap. “Roxas!” Pence chirped, face beet red as he wiped at his kiss swollen lips and sliding his hand out from the front of her shirt. Olette looked mortified as she groped behind herself, looking as if she was trying to rehook her bra. “Hey man, yeah use the toilet.”</p><p>“Yeah I don’t need it!” Olette added, trying her best to not make eye contact.</p><p>Making a b-line to the bathroom, Roxas took one look at himself in the mirror before cheering… which turned out to be a terrible idea for someone with a hangover as bad as his.</p><p>Once he had finished up in the bathroom, he sat at the kitchen table. “So.. this is new, eh?” Roxas couldn’t help but tease.</p><p>“We just really clicked this morning while you were snoozing okay-”</p><p>“I mean I liked Pence from the first day I met him.” Olette beamed at the two of them, Pence looked clearly flustered.</p><p>Roxas laughed before taking a sip of his coffee, “I agree! Pence is such a catch.”</p><p>“He really is.” Olette shot Pence a small, tender smile.</p><p>“See Pence? There’s nothing wrong with falling for someone quickly.” Roxas rolled his eyes towards Pence.</p><p>“Yeah but you’re the pro.”</p><p>“Shut up man!” Roxas yelled, making both himself and Olette flinch from the noise, “Sorry.”</p><p>“All good. I gotta head to class, though.” Olette smiled, bringing her dishes to the sink and pressing a soft kiss to Pence’s cheek. “You guys hurry up too, yours is in an hour right?”</p><p>“How do you-” Pence looked confused.</p><p>“When a girl has a crush she basically knows everything about the person.” She shrugged, tying her hair into a ponytail. “See you guys later. Go to class!” She pointed to both of them before she collected her bag and heading out.</p><p>Once the door was closed, Roxas turned to look at Pence. “You fucking scored man.”</p><p>“Not if you didn’t cockblock me, man.”</p><p>“She’s so into you! Pence!”</p><p>Pence blushed, shaking his head, “I don’t know what’s gotten into her.”</p><p>“She’s trying to get you into her.”</p><p>“Dude shut up. I think she like.. Wants to date me or whatever.” Pence scratched the back of his head. “She asked me out on Friday.”</p><p>“And that’s a bad thing?”</p><p>“No I just..” Pence smiled, “She’s so out of my league.”</p><p>“Nah, I think you guys are pretty well suited, dude.” Roxas shrugged, taking another sip of his coffee. “So what happened after I blacked out last night?”</p><p>“You were telling us about every guy you’ve ever fallen in love with. Then you got really upset about your ex and turned into a total zombie until you passed out.”</p><p>Roxas groaned, running both of his hands through his hair. “Fuck my life. Hayner and Olette must think I’m nuts.”</p><p>“Hayner was charmed, Olette worried about you a lot. She washed your face for you while you were sleeping.” Pence couldn’t stop the smile that spread across his lips while he talked about her, “She really took care of you… before she drank a bottle and a half of wine once you were okay.”</p><p>“She fucking what?”</p><p>“The girl can drink, what can I say.” Pence shrugged. “Then she ate two dozen wings by herself.”</p><p>“Marry her. She’s the one, man.”</p><p>. . .</p><p>A few hours later, Roxas sat in the cafeteria as he managed to scarf down cheap sushi. “Roxas! Hey!” Hayner pulled a seat up beside him, sitting down with a smile,</p><p>“Nice seeing you vertical.”</p><p>“Watching me horizontal become a hobby or something?” Roxas teased back, “Ibuprofen is one hell of a drug.”</p><p>“I’ll drink to that.” Hayner took a swig from his water bottle. “So, listen, last night you were talking about your exes.”</p><p>Roxas’ gut dropped, “Oh no-”</p><p>“And once I asked about-” There was that damn name again, Roxas remembered his blood ran cold, “- you turned into a total zombie. You just like… shut off and started drinking significantly more.”</p><p>“Fuck.” Roxas groaned, running his hands through his hair, “Pence told me the same thing, pretty much the exact same way too. So I made a complete asshole out of myself is what you’re saying?”</p><p>“Not a complete asshole.” Hayner shrugged, “It was honestly kinda sweet just how much you cared about that guy. He messed up breaking it off.”</p><p>“Yeah right.” Roxas rolled his eyes.</p><p>“I mean, I’m kinda thankful you’re single, though. I was wondering if you wanted to go to see a movie sometime-”</p><p>“No.” Roxas’ tone was deadpan, straightforward. “Sorry Hayner, I really appreciate the interest but I don’t like to see movies with friends. I prefer going alone.”</p><p>Hayner frowned slightly, “I- yeah.” Taking a sip from his water, Hayner mentally licked his wounds.</p><p>“Hey, can I get your opinion on something?”</p><p>“Mm? Yeah, floor’s yours.” Anything to get away from the uncomfortable silence.</p><p>“How do you get over someone when they broke your heart?” Roxas hummed, as if the question had been weighing hard on him for a while - which frankly, it had been.</p><p>“I mean I usually just find moving on helps-”</p><p>“What if I can’t move on? What if I never love again?”</p><p>A small smile tugged at the corner of Hayner’s lips, “I think you will.”</p><p>“Really?” Roxas turned to look at the other blonde, mirroring his expression.</p><p>“Really.”</p><p>Roxas reached out and took hold of Hayner’s hand, “Where do you think it would be the easiest to find gay men?”</p><p>“I--” It was like an additional slap to the face, “There’s a gay bar in the next city over.”</p><p>“Perfect. I’ll find true love soon enough.” Roxas nodded, “You’re a good friend Hayner, thanks for the advice.” Roxas stood, slung his backpack over his shoulder and exited the cafeteria.</p><p>“Well that went peachy.” Hayner groaned, rubbing his face with both hands.</p><p>. . .</p><p>Roxas had commuted an hour and a half to the nearest gay bar and, frankly, it was a bit of a waste of time. The majority of people were either not his type, in a couple already, far too kinky for his taste or a combination of all three. Sipping his overpriced drink, he simply sat and people watched. At least he’d make the best out of his bus ride and make the Uber home worth it.</p><p>“Fancy seeing you here.” He heard over the throes of music, turning to look over his shoulder Roxas was surprised to see Hayner. “Didn’t think you’d go out this far for some tail.”</p><p>“Hayner!” Roxas lit up like a Christmas tree, “Did you come to save me from boredom?”</p><p>Hayner laughed off the sigh of relief that Roxas hadn’t decided to go home with anyone, “You know it. I was actually just popping in to say hi before I head home.”</p><p>A lie, but he hoped Roxas would catch the bait.</p><p>“Oh I was thinking about leaving too-” Hook, line and sinker, “I just need to settle up, if you want company.”</p><p>“Yeah for sure, I gotta take a piss. I drove, I’ll give you a lift home.”</p><p>“Thanks Hay.” Roxas beamed at him before they parted ways, Roxas to pay his tab and Hayner to pop a few mints and wash his balls. Just in case.</p><p>Walking to his car, the two had a comfortable silence. That was until Hayner couldn’t keep his mouth shut, “Meet anyone tonight?”</p><p>“The DJ was pretty cute but he seemed to flirt with everyone in there, turn off.” He stuck his tongue out to make a point.</p><p>“Yeah they usually sleep around a lot. I’d suggest staying away from anyone who works at a bar.” Hayner felt a small internal victory that he had quit his job at the same club about two weeks prior to meeting the other blonde.</p><p>“Man I’m glad we met.” Roxas had had enough to drink that his tongue was loose, “I’ve never had anyone be able to tell me how gay guys think. Pence is too straight to even jerk off, I think.”</p><p>“Ah, so I’m just a replacement, eh?” Hayner chuckled, “The new bestie?”</p><p>“Nah,” Roxas turned his eyes to Hayner before getting into his car, “You’re special.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is going to be a monster of a fic, just a warning.<br/>Buckle up and let's gooooo!!!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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